1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feeder, and more particularly to a paper feeder for image duplicating machines such as copying machines, laser printers, facsimiles, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 5 schematically shows a conventional paper feeder and peripheral portions thereof in a copying machine. In a machine body 1, a latent image on a photosensitive drum 2 is made visible at a developing portion 3, transferred to copying paper 4 fed from a paper feeder at a transferring portion 5, and fused at a fusing portion (not shown).
The paper 4 is disposed upon a paper pressing-up panel 7 housed within a paper feed cassette 6. The paper pressing-up panel 7 pivotally moves about a shaft 7a by means of a compression spring 9 thereby pressing up the paper 4 until the paper 4 makes contact with a pawl portion 8a of paper front-end stopper 8. Namely, the position of the front end of the paper 4 is rendered constant by the paper front-end stopper 8.
The paper 4 is fed by a paper feed roller 10 rotating about a shaft 10a, and passed through paper feed guides 11a, 11b. The paper 4 is further passed through U-turn guides 13a, 13b by rollers 12a, 12b, and reaches timing rollers 14a, 14b which rotate in accordance with the rotation timing of the photosensitive drum 2. The paper 4 is then conveyed to the transferring portion 5 through a transferring guide 15 to transfer the image defined by toner on the photosensitive drum 2 to the paper 4, followed by being conveyed to the fusing portion by means of a conveying belt 16.
In the case of a small type copying machine, the machine body 1 is provided with a handle 17 to be carried. This handle 17 pivotally moves about a shaft 17a to be drawn out from the machine body 1 whereby the machine can be carried. When the copying machine is carried, the paper feed cassette 6 is detached, or remains within the machine body 1 if the cassette is housed therewithin.
However, when carrying the machine, detaching the feed cassette 6 requires time and labor. Besides, a distance between a paper rear-end stopper 7b restricting the rear-end portion of the paper 4 and the paper front-end stopper 8 is predetermined slightly larger than a length of the paper 4 for setting the paper within the cassette 6, with the result that the paper 4 may bend to be disengaged from the pawl portion 8a if the machine is carried with the cassette 6 attached. This results in feeding error of the paper 4 when the copying machine starts again to operate.